Method of making brake-beam fulcrums



Nov. 22, 1927.

. L. L. WHITNEY METHOD OF MAKING BRAKE BEAM FULCRUMS Filed Oct. 23, 1924 2 Sheets Sheet 1 fizz/ W- lawn L.

1mm- @QMM L. L. WHITNEY METHOD OF MAKING BRAKE BEAM FULCRUMS Nov. 22, 1927; 1,649,880

Filed Oct. 23. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllil umnmnmuu Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN L. WHITNEY, or HAMMOND, mmANAfAssienoE r AMERICAN STEEL Eounnarns, or, cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MAKING BRAKEBEAM' FULCRUMS.

Application filed. October 23,1924. Serial No. 745,313.

This invention relates to a method of making a' brake beam fulcrum. One object of he invention is to provide a simple, eflicient and inexpensive method of making a. brake beam fulcrum.

Another object is to provide a method of making a brake beam fulcrum consisting in a minimum number of steps and in which up-setting operations for building up stock at the tension rod seat and lever .plvotpin holes is obviated.

These" and other objects are accomplished by means, of the method disclosed on the ac companying-shee'ts of drawings in which Figure 1 'is-a fragmentary top plan View and Figure 2 is a fragmentary, side View of a rolled bar of stock from which a blank is to be cut for the formation of a fulcrum.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view and v Figure & is a side elevation of a blank cut from a bar, such as shown in Figu-res l and 2, said blankhavingits ends reduced in width for the formation of feet to be secured to the compressed member of the brake beam.

Figure 5 is a top plan view and Figure 6 is a front view on a'still larger scale of the blank after it has been bent intermediate its ends to form spaced legs with a closed end and the legs adjacent the closed 1 ends pinched laterally inwardly and the end provided with a groove to start the formation of the tension rod seat.

Figure 7 is a top plan View, and Figure '8 is a front view after the body of the fulcrum has been twisted through the usual angle. of for use in connection 40 with an inclined brake lever.

Figure 9 is a top plan'vie-w, and Figure 10 is a front view of the fulcrum after the forging operation and the tension rod seat is completely formed.

Figure 11 isa-top'p'lan view, and- Figure 12 is a front view of the fulcrum after the flashinghas been removed.

Figure 13 is a top plan view, and Figure 14 is .a front elevation of the completed fulcrum, the lever pivot pin holes having been provided and also the holes in the feet for attachment to the compression member.

Figure 15 is a top plan View of a bulldozer in which in a single operationthe blank is bent, the legs at the closed end pinched inwardly and the closed end provided with a groove in the formation of atension rod seat.

Figures 16, 17 and 18 are perspective views of die members used in the operation of forgingthe tension'rod seat after the fulcrum blank has been operated upon in the bulldozer.

The various novel features-of the inven- [Referring to thefigures of the drawings.

it will be noted that in Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a fragmentary view of a con tinuous bar 10 having elongated bosses 11 and that blanks such as shown in Figures 3 and 4; may be'pcut'from saidcontinuous bar for the. formation of'brake beam fulcrums.

In Figures, 3-and 4 the blank isshown as having the enlarged central elongated por tion-orboss 11 and also :as having relatively thin ends 12. The elongated .boss '11 is provided to secure suilicient stock to obviate the necessity forup-setting the blank at the point where the tension rod seat is'for'me'd and at'the points where the lever pivot pin holesiare formed, it being. understood that an increased amount-10f stock is requiredto give sulficientbody and strength to the tensionrod seat'and to give suflicient bearing areafor the pin forming the connection between the brake lever and'fulcrum. Also in Figures 3"a'n'd4, it'will be'noted that the ends of the blank after being heated have been reduced in width to provide feet 13,

wvliicli form means for attaching the fulcrum to the compression member of a'brake beam. Thehe'ated blankas shown in Figures 3 and dis placed upon-supports 14 in thebulldozing: machine as indicated by dotted lines at-15 in Figure 15. The bulldozer is provided with two oppositely arranged arms 16 pivotally mounted at two space points 17 and at theirb'uter ends arexprovided with rollers 18 which are causedto travel in cam'races 19 for moving thearms inwardly toward each other for bendingthe blank to formspaced legs with a closed end around themandrel 20. During this operation, it will be appreciatedthat the bed 21 with the mandrel 20 is caused to move longitudinally' with respect to the arms l6 in cooperating to bend the bar as described. It will be noted that the mandrel has a reduced end portion 22 which cooperates with shoulders 23 on the arms 16 for pinching the spaced fulcrum legs 24 laterally inwardly at the closed end of the fulcrum to stiffen the stock to resist lateral bending at such point while end pressure is applied and before the cavity 30 and cavity 36 in dies, shown in Figures 16, 17, and 18 are filled in giving the tension rod seat its final shape. At the same time that the legs 24 at the closed end of the fulcrum are pinched inwardly, a groove 25 is formed in the bent end of the fulcrum by a ridge 26 formed in the recessed head of the member 27 in the bulldozer which cooperates with the mane 'drel 20. The fulcrum blank after thus being treated in the-bulldozer appears as in Figures 5 and 6. i

The main body portion of the fulcrum is then twisted through an angle of 40 as indicated in Figures 7 and 8, whereupon legs 24 of the fulcrumare placed in a position to be received by the grooves 26 in the die members 27, said grooves being spaced by supporting portions 28. Cooperating with the die members 27 is another die member 29, which is slidably received in the recess portions of the die members 27. In connection with giving the tension rod seat its final shape, it will be noted that the die member 29 has a recess 36 with a ridge or projection31 which conforms to the shape of the final seat portion 32 at the tension rodend of the fulcrum as shown in Figures 9 and 10. As a resultof experimentation it has been foundthat unless the legs 24 are offset. laterally as at 37 to stiffen the legs at such point, said legs at such point will bend as thedie 29 moves inwardly within the cavity 30 before the die opening 36 is properly filled. It will be understoodthat during a progressive movement of the die member 29 within the recess 30 of the then closed die members 27, the tension rod seat is formed. During this operation in some instances a flashing 33 is formed from excess metal. This flashing is then removed leava ing the fulcrum as shown in Figures 11 and 12 and whereupon the lever pivot pinholes 34 are drilled and openings 35 are punched in the feet 13 for the reception of attaching rivets as shown in Figures 13 and 14.

By means of this simple and practical method a brake beam fulcrum is formed to meet all of the requirements under service conditions.

It is my intention to cover all of the modifications of this invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank, bending said blank intermediate its ends to form spacedlegs with a closed end and pinching said legs laterally inwardly at the closed end to stiffen the stock su ificiently to resist lateral bending at such point occasioned by pressure applied during the final shaping of the tension rod. seat, and then forging said closed end to give the tension rod seat final shape.

2. The method of forming the tension rod seat of a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank, bending said blank intermediate its ends to form'spaced legs with a closed end, pinching said legs in-' wardly at the closed end to stiffen the stock sufficiently to resist lateral bending at such point occasioned during subsequent treatment, and then treating said closed end to give the tension rod seat final shape.

The method of forming the tension rod seat of a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank, bending said blank intermediate its ends to form spaced le 's' with a closed end, forcing said legs laterally at the closed end to stiffen the stock sufficiently at such point to resist bending under pressure subjected in another direction 00- casioned by subsequent treatment, and then treating said closed end to give the tension rod seat final shape.

4. The method of forming the tension rod seat of a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providingunetal constituting spaced legsof the fulcrum proper, offsetting the tension rod end of said legs with respect to the balance of said legs to stiffen said legs against bend ing due to end pressure occasioned by subsequent treatment, andthen shaping the connected offset ends of said legs to give the tension rod seat final form. I

5. The method of forming the tension rod seat of a fulcrum consisting in providing a.

blank having a central enlargement, bend-- ing said blank at said centralenlargement for providing sufficient stock to form a tenfulcrum consisting in providing a blank having an elongated central enlargement for providing sufficient metal for a tension rod seat and lever pivot pin bearings of adequate area without upsetting the metal at such points, bending said blank at an intermediate p-oint to form spaced legs with a closed end, pinching said legs laterally inwardly at the closed end to stiffen the stock suificientl at said point to resist bending thereof before i the die is filled and upsetting takes place in the final shaping of the tension rod seat, then subjecting said closed end to pressure to give the tension rod seat final shape, and then providing said legs with lever pivot pin holes.

7 The method of making a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank, bending said blank intermediate its ends to form spaced legs with aclosed end and pinching the legs laterally inwardly at the closed end to stifien the stock to resist lateral bending at such point occasioned by pressure applied in the final shaping of the tension rod seat, and then providing said closed end with a groove for forming a tension rod seat.

8. The method of making a brake beam lulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank, bending said blank intermediate its ends to form spaced legs with a closed end, grooving said closed end for forming a tension rod seat, and pinching said legs laterally inwardly at the closed end to stiffen same against bending during the subsequent treatment, and then giving the tension rod seat final shape.

9. The method of forming a tension rod seat in a brake beam fulcrum consisting in providing a heated blank and in a single operation bending the blank intermediate its ends to form spaced legs with a closed end, grooving said 'closed end to start the formation of a tension rod seat, and pinching said legs laterally inwardly at the closed end to stifl'en the stock at such point sulficiently to resist bending before the die is filled and upsetting takes place in the final shaping of the tension rod seat and then finally shaping the closed end to form the tension rod seat. 1

Signed at Hammond, Indiana, this 7th day of October, 1924. I

LoREiI L. WHITNEY. 

